Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1887-10-06
Prohibition Efforts to Increase Pow
erty and Crime.

The third party Prohibition orators In
Ohio continue their attacks upon the
Republican party, denouncipg it as the
supporter and defender of the liquor
traffic. We look in vain for any assaults
by them upon the Democratic party.
though the latter is the open and con>
fessed advocate of free rum, open Sum
day saloons, and the enemy of all regu
lation and restriction of the liquor busi-
ness. The Prohibition leaders know
that if the Democrats succeed this fall
in electing majority in the Legisla
ture the Dow law will be promptly re-
pealed at the demand of the liquor in
terestS. They are aware that extraordi+
nary means are being used by the friends
of the liquor traffic to secure this result.
They know that the advocates of free
rum and open Sunday saloons are the
bitter, unrelenting enemies of the Re
publican party. They know that the
Dow law decreases the sale of liquor
and the evils of intemperance.
To be honest they must admit that
in every town and city in the State 1t
has shut the doors of many of the worst
drinking dens, and driven from the bus
iness of rumselling some of the worst
and most dlsreputable dealers. Under
its local option provisions it has already
in over 800 towns absolutely stopped
the open sale of liquor, and wiped the
saloons out of existence. They know
that the Dow law taxes the traffic over
81, 100000 yearly, and relieves the TAX
payers of Ohio OF SO much burden.
How then can any honest, thoughtful
citizen desire the repeal of the Dow law
as means to advance the cause of tem>
perance reform? If by reason of the
law over 5000 saloons have been closed
in the State; if in our large cities it has
wiped out of existence many of the vii
est and worst dens, certainly just SO far
as it has been a means of good, it should
receive the support of good men. That
II may not satisfy many truly conscieD-
tious and well-meaning persons is true,
but is not the law with its revenue and
restrictions a step in advance for the
cause of TEN mperance, and more 10 be
desired than absolute free rum as de
manded by the Democratic party? No
body is so weak as 10 be deceived by the
fiimsy pretense that this party is in
favor of license" There can be no
such thing under our Constitution as
license, and when Democrats say they
favor license they mean "we are for
license opposed to all legal restraints
whatever" As license is impossible,
free rum is the alternative.
If it is true that the Republican party
is the friend and supporter of the rum
traffic. why are the liquor interests and
the vast beer manufacturing interest
almost a unit in endeavoring to prevent
Republican success? Why does the
liquor league of Cuyahoga county ask
for money and speakers to break down
1.-The puritanical and Sunday school tenn
perance acts" of the Republicans and
secure Democratic ascendency, both in
State and city legislation. Surely the
friends of free whisky are smart enough
to know which party is obedient TO
their wishes.
Every Prohibition vote cast in Ohio
at the coming election will be a vote to
help the Democratic party repeal the
Dow law, relieve the liquor sellers from
a tax they are abundantly able to pay.
and place it upon the shoulders of the
State. 1t is vote to reopen the closed
saloons, make liquor selling free to
every man, discourage true friends of
temperance, manufacture drunkards at
every street corner, carry increased
misery to thousands of wretched homes,
and increase the aggregate of poverty
and crime.-Clev. Leader